The Otago Hunt Club was established in 1883 and it has survived good times and bad times ever since.

Based on the English sport with hounds, red-coated officials and black-coated followers, there is one big difference. Instead of hunting a fox or hare, the Otago Hunt has always followed an aniseed drag trail.

The aniseed drag was developed largely out of respect for the rights of property owners, to whom the club owes a great debt of gratitude.

The drag and made up jumps means that much of the hunt can follow a predetermined course avoiding crops, and can be arranged so that supporters can follow in their cars.

For many years, the followers would meet outside the Dunedin Town Hall and proceed from there on their horses to hunt on the hills surrounding Dunedin.

There is a story told about the late Jack Morris when he was a huntsman for the club. Jack tried to crack his whip in the Octagon to control hounds and got caught in the overhead wires.

Nowadays, the followers travel by horse float to properties much further afield.

Hunting is a sport of tradition and etiquette with the followers taking great pride in the way they turn out both themselves and their mount. In turn, the huntsman takes much pride in the presentation of his hounds.

Hunting is perhaps best summed up by the following poem:

Hunting is the noblest exercise,
Makes me laborious, active, wise,
Brings health, and doth the spirits delight,
It helps the hearing and the sight,
It teaches art that never slip,
The memory - good horsemanship
Search, sharpness, courage and defence
And chaseth all ill habits hence.

From article by Ben Jonson, Taieri herald, 15 June 1999.